Legal Focus

Back to school season is in high gear and driver clearances are an important part of that process. The driver shortage has increased the need to take advantage of every opportunity to hire a driver, but contractors must also assure their employees are eligible to work with children under applicable laws. It is important for school bus contractors to understand and properly use background check information when making employment decisions. Below, we discuss what you need to know.Click Here to Rea...

For school transportation contractors in Pennsylvania, it is peak hiring season as the start of the new school year is just under a month away. Many contractors are navigating through the nationwide driver shortage to find drivers to fill seats on school buses for the upcoming school year, and are beginning to take a closer look at policies and practices relating to the hiring and training of drivers. As contractors continue to look for creative ways to address the driver shortage while experien...

The application period for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2022 Clean School Bus (CSB) Rebate Program is open until August 19, 2022. The 2022 CSB Rebate Program will distribute $500 million in grant funds that can be used to replace certain diesel school buses with zero emission (electric) school buses and/or alternative fuel (propane or compressed natural gas (CNG)) school buses. But, some program requirements present challenges that are unique to independent school bu...

As the school year begins to wind down, many school transportation contractors are already making preparations for next school year. It is no question that school transportation contractors are continuing to feel the effects of the nationwide school bus driver shortage, and so being able to secure drivers and ensure a fully operational staff at the start of the 2022-2023 school year is a primary concern. The summer months provide school transportation contractors with a great opportunity to eval...

For most school transportation contractors in Pennsylvania, the majority of transportation services are provided intrastate, i.e. within the bounds of state lines. However, contractors are often approached by school districts to transport students for extracurricular activities, such as sports or field trips, across state lines. This leaves some contractors wondering what, if any, additional requirements must be met in order to provide interstate transportation.

With the recent surge in the cost of fuel, school bus contractors nationwide have been closely monitoring the price at the pump over the last few months. When negotiating or renewing a transportation contract, fuel is typically a topic of significant dialog between the parties. School transportation contracts will normally specify who pays for fuel, but transportation contractors should also consider adding a fuel clause to address future fuel cost volatility.

A pending appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will challenge existing case law holding that there are no statutory requirements for Department of Education pre-approval of Pupil Transportation Contracts. The case of Bell v. Wilkinsburg School District will be heard in March of this year to decide this important issue. Continue reading for more details.